Trees can be dangerous?

"Even healthy trees can be dangerous." "Trees are obstacles." "Trees diminish visibility." Is this a campaign against trees that may have been started under President Reagan who said that trees pollute?

The quotes above come from the Jan. 16 Sentinel article about ODOT planning to cut more trees.

Now, let's look at the other side.

Trees don't jump in front of unsuspecting drivers. Some years ago, European highway engineers had trees removed paralleling picturesque country lanes because drivers hit them. A subsequent study then showed accidents increased along these roads because drivers drove faster and lost the 3-D guidance provided by trees especially at upcoming curves.

It is better to establish natural vegetation on steep slopes. A three-layered vegetation cover consisting of ground cover, including grass, understory and canopy slows down rain, retains it longer, even evaporates some of it. All this reduces, at no cost, runoff and erosion, which reduces siltation of drains and waterways that is costly to remedy.

Deep roots help stabilize soil banks, including shale formations. Mowing steep slopes not only costs money, but it is hazardous to the mowers. It slows traffic and adds to pollution. Shrubs reduce glare and provide good buffer zones, safely slowing errant cars.

If plants could talk - the NSA may be onto this already - they would say that drivers are dangerous instead.

Jurgen Pape

Granville

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Trees can be dangerous?

'Even healthy trees can be dangerous.' 'Trees are obstacles.' 'Trees diminish visibility.' Is this a campaign against trees that may have been started under President Reagan who said that trees